507 



a servant, rode about the country, and got 

 into company, taking care to talk of a rich 

 uncle he had in England who was his god- 

 father, that his relations were wealthy, and 

 that he had great expectations from them. 

 By these means he formed connections, 

 bought large quantities of goods on credit, 

 took a proper place in a town, and fixed 

 himself as a merchant ; and, from every ap- 

 pearance, was doing very well. He said the 

 Americans were the easiest to cheat of any 

 men in the world ; only it must be done 

 in their own way, by outward show and 

 deception. Since my return to England, I 

 have been informed, from very good au- 

 thority, that this man is become a bank- 

 rupt ; and, at the close of his career, he 

 allured a young friend from this country to 

 consign four hundred pounds to him, which 

 were, of course, totally lost. 



I made one general remark whilst there, 

 that when a merchant is sure his affairs are 

 in such a state that he must be insolvent, 



